Mary Eileen O'Brien is an American academic administrator and member of the Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt. She worked as the president of the

Dominican University New York Dominican University New York is a private Catholic university in Orangeburg, New York, United States. It is chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York and accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Ed ...

from 1997 to 2024.

Life

O'Brien was raised in

The Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

. She earned a B.A. in English from Dominican College in 1965. In 1971, she completed a M.A. in mathematics from

Manhattan College Manhattan University (previously Manhattan College) is a private, Catholic university in New York City. Originally established in 1853 by the De La Salle Christian Brothers (Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools) as an academy fo ...

. She was a mathematics teacher at St. Benedict's School and St. Pius V High School. She worked as the principal of Saint Luke's School in

South Bronx The South Bronx is an area of the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The area comprises neighborhoods in the southern part of the Bronx, such as Concourse, Bronx, Concourse, Mott Haven, Bronx, Mott Haven, Melrose, B ...

. O'Brien joined the faculty at Dominican College in 1977. She served as the acting president for a year before being named president in 1979, succeeding Natalie Casey. She completed a master's degree in adult and higher education from the

Teachers College, Columbia University Teachers College, Columbia University (TC) is the graduate school of education affiliated with Columbia University, a private research university in New York City. Founded in 1887, Teachers College has been a part of Columbia University since ...

in 1983. O'Brien worked as president until 1987 when she served as the leader of the congregation of sisters at the Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt for six years. She returned to her role as president of Dominican College in 1997. She earned a Ph.D. in educational administration and supervision from

Fordham University Fordham University is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit research university in New York City, United States. Established in 1841, it is named after the Fordham, Bronx, Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx in which its origina ...

. Her 2012 dissertation was titled, ''Presidents' Perception on Implementation of the Dominican Charism in the American Dominican College''. Gerald M. Cattaro was her doctoral advisor. O'Brien retired on January 1, 2024, and was succeeded by interim president Mary Hughes.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Obrien, Mary Eileen Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Place of birth missing (living people) Religious leaders from the Bronx Dominican University New York alumni Dominican University New York faculty Manhattan College alumni Teachers College, Columbia University alumni Presidents of Catholic universities and colleges in the United States Women heads of universities and colleges Dominican Sisters 20th-century American Roman Catholic nuns 21st-century American Roman Catholic nuns 20th-century American women academics 20th-century American academics 21st-century American women academics 21st-century American academics